My family quilt and FNSI results too

I have been working on the stitcheries for the family quilt and have finished another panel off since the last lot of pics.  In fact for FNSI I finished off the hair on the little girl which completed panel 2 and started work on the last panel by the stitching you see in the pic and also two hearts that needed buttonhole around them too.

This is the beginnings of the third and final panel.

Also to share are some pics of the garden that I took at midday so it was pretty bright out there.  But it shows the roses out in full bloom too.

Stupid computers lol and FNSI

I have been trying to comment on blogs and my silly laptop wont let me and my brother is rebuilding the desktop.  So to everyone who has been creating so many beautiful things thankyou for sharing them with us and I do wish I can comment on them individually.  Hopefully it won't be long and I can get back to replying personally.

Now I have also signed up for FNSI but am doing it tonight.  Well starting as soon as this post is saved.  Tomorrow morning I will be back with some photos to show what I have been working on since the last update. 

My family quilt....

now haven't done a great deal as I have only picked it up here and there over the last few weeks but I have finished off this little stitchery and started another.  Having the panels constructed has made the stitching much easier by way of choosing colours and also some of the original quilt is not featuring in mine either so changes have had to be made.  The border squares are all cut and pinned too so I will sit down and sew them sometime soon too.  I also intend to use most of these prints in my next 1" hexagon quilt too but not until after I have finished the bright one off.  It is getting a bit tempting to start another one lol. 

I am now heading off to do some more work on this while I wait for the cold wind to drop a bit before painting.  Or maybe I will say stuff the fence and just stitch lol.  A rest day would be really nice ..... we'll see.

Happy stitching ............

Well it is a massive update today lol...

I decided on Friday to start quilting the Christmas stitchery I did back in January lol.  It is the first bigger item I have tried to quilt other than a couple of mug mats and the table centre I stitched for Mum last year.  I love FMQ and am looking forward to doing a bigger quilt top soon as I finish this one off and get the next one organised with backing and wadding.

There are a few things I have learned so far along the process.
1.  Don't change direction when ditch quilting as was suggested in one book I borrowed from mum.  Mmmmm that book has now been ditched!
2.  Remember to change the stitch length after you have turned the machine off to have a break lol.  Not such a biggy when it is only ditch quilting.
3.  Perhaps use a plain coloured thread when ditch quilting as the lighter tone has really shown up in a few places.  (That is because I am being really picky lol)
4.  I think I might just prefer to hand tack rather than use pins to baste.  But this is probably because I folowed the wrong book! lol.
5.  Lock dog out of room while trying to take photos so dogs butt is not featured lol. 

I'm not sure what I will do around the blocks on the red.  I think I may just put the walking foot back on and 1/4" around the seams on each.  Anyone else got any ideas for me ........

Garden

Pics of the front garden for you.  I have started on the fence but the pic I took of it wasnt very good at showing the colour.  Anyway it has gone from cream to a colour called 'French grey'.  It is the green colour used on the verandah and dog boards anyway.

 These roses when they open will be white iceburgs.

 This one which has the most amazing perfume is called 'Oklahoma'.

 Photo isn't that good as it is a little more pink than white lol.  Its called 'royal highness' and has a viburnum opulus in the background.

 These are cuban lilies.

 This rose is called 'seduction'.

 These two pics feature another beautifully perfumed rose called 'radox bouquet'.

 What would a cottage garden be without a lilac or two.

Now you must excuse the weeds in the newly spread rock and of course the half painted fence lol.  Might do some more painting once the day warms up just a little as it is cold out there at the moment.

Gifts

Here's a pic of the reindeer my mother made.  Isn't she cute!  Anyone wanting the detail of the pattern and where she got it from can just ask and I will find out.  It was supposed to have that feathery looking stuff around the skirt and also on the bodice but I hated the look of that so I found some bits of cotton lace instead and used a shirt nap white fur instead.

These are also some tablemats that my mum also made me. 

Hexagon progress

I have been busy working on the small hexagon quilt over the last few weeks and have decided that I really need to put it away so I can start working on something else lol.  I've sewn on some more rows and prepped more hexies and white filler blocks too.  I need a lot more fillers but will have to wait until more are sewn together so I can reuse the papers again.

Well school is now back and the first week almost over and the front fence was only undercoated lol.  The weather was either too warm or too damp for painting it so it will get done when I feel like attacking it one weekend.  I have been busy in the garden finishing off some weeding and preparing the vegie patch and finally set up the little water feature in the backyard too.  Lance also found me a lovely old cream can too.  I'll take some pics of the garden later to share.